Amid Public Criticism, Bush Stands By His Pentagon Man

Facing open revolt among several retired generals calling for the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, President Bush dug in his heels Friday with an unrelenting show of support for his most powerful cabinet member.

The outcry for Rumsfeld's removal has opened a new and vulnerable front in the public criticism of the war in Iraq and has placed the White House on the defensive. Yet Bush will be hard-pressed to oust Rumsfeld, analysts said Friday, because such a move could be seen as a concession the president is unwilling to make: that the war itself has gone badly off-track.

Reflecting the political pressure, Bush interrupted Easter weekend with his family at Camp David to issue an unusual written statement in support of the defense secretary he calls "Don," signaling that he has no intention of firing Rumsfeld despite the onslaught.

"I have seen firsthand how Don relies upon our military commanders in the field and at the Pentagon to make decisions about how best to complete these missions," Bush said. "He has my full support and deepest appreciation."

As difficult as it may be for Bush to protect Rumsfeld in the face of pointed criticism from seasoned military leaders, experts say the dispute reaches far beyond Rumsfeld. It speaks to the conduct of a war that Bush maintains the nation is winning.

"They are going to try very, very hard in the administration to ride this out," said Kurt Campbell, director of the International Security Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who served as an assistant secretary of defense during the Clinton administration.

"For many of these guys to speak out, it's a big deal," Campbell said. Yet, he added, "it's hard for Bush to say it's time to let (Rumsfeld) go without implicitly acknowledging that the administration has mishandled things both tactically and strategically."

The war already has taken a toll on Bush's own popularity, and the criticism of the war's conduct from people in the best position to know makes it all the more difficult for the president to court support not just for war, but also for his domestic initiatives.

"It just keeps Bush further on the defensive," said John Geer, a professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. "He continues playing defense rather than offense, and he can't gain traction on anything."

Even as Bush has stepped up a campaign for public support for the war, it's not just Democratic politicians who are criticizing the war's conduct and calling for Rumsfeld's head. It is retired generals, with some publicly accusing Rumsfeld of mishandling the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, in deploying too few troops, and the post-invasion struggle, in underestimating the threat of an Iraqi insurgency.

In addition, some of these retired flag officers are accusing the defense secretary of refusing to heed dissent among his own war commanders, raising an additional problem for the president.

According to the Los Angeles Times, current and former senior officers said many active duty generals privately agree with public criticism that Rumsfeld is disrespectful to military leaders. But, the Times report continues, public statements by retired generals have engendered unease among some officers who worry that the comments could undermine the morale of troops in Iraq and could appear to challenge civilian control of the military.

A number of retired senior officers who worked directly with Rumsfeld also said in Times interviews that they considered the public criticism misguided. While Rumsfeld's aggressive style has caused upheaval in the ranks,, he has changed his views on several high-profile issues because of well-argued cases made by the uniformed leadership, the officers said.

Bush, in the face of an increasingly unpopular war, has insisted that he will follow the advice of generals "on the ground" in determining how rapidly the nation might draw down forces.

About seven retired generals have spoken out against Rumsfeld.

Rumsfeld, in an interview aired Friday on Al-Arabiya television, said he respects the views of the critics who are retired officers, but he has no intention of quitting. *

FROM RUMSFELD'S CRITICS -- AND HIS BIGGEST SUPPORTER

Quotes from the retired generals who are calling for the ouster of Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld:

"We grow up in a culture where accountability, learning to accept responsibility, admitting mistakes and learning from them was critical to us. When we don't see that happening, it worries us. Poor military judgment has been used throughout this mission." -- Retired Marine Gen. Anthony Zinni, former chief of U.S. Central Command